[ THE NEED ]

Salvage Vanguard Theater's new home fills a critical niche in Austin's cultural landscape for artists and audience. There are plenty of run-down theaters in East Austin. Salvage Vanguard Theater will be the first theater in East Austin to be outfitted for the 21st century.

The Artists Need…

• Space both to create and to present new work. Currently, there are spaces in Austin that serve one need or the other, but almost none that serve both.
• An environment that is safe and clean. In Austin there is no small performing space with bathrooms exclusively for the use of the performers. The result is that at one space, for example, the actors must relieve themselves in the alley behind the theater at intermission. In addition, Salvage Vanguard Theater will provide a shower for performers, an amenity required by the Actors' Equity Association.
• A facility for all the arts. There is no space in Austin that serves both the visual and performing arts. Our community arts center will help break down an artificial barrier between two currently separate worlds.
• Affordability. Salvage Vanguard Theater will be a world-class space that is affordable to those who use it. It will be the only new space in town with rental prices competitive with the other small arts spaces in Austin. Unlike those spaces, however, this space will be outfitted at the level of the State Theater and Zachary Scott.
• State of the art(s). The facility will be equipped for the 21st century, with a fully modern electric system for theater, ample air conditioning, phone lines in every studio, and a free wi-fi network for everyone who uses the building.

The Audience Needs…

• A space to see both visual and performing arts under one roof. Simply put, there is no facility in Austin designed to offer both.
• A superb facility on the East Side of Austin. Historically, East Austin has gotten the short end of the stick. There are plenty of arts spaces on the East Side of town, but none with the amenities of the new Salvage Vanguard Theater. Bathrooms will be up to code and wheelchair accessible. Fire egress will be up to code. The seats will be comfortable.
• A space that serves both people living on the East Side and those who live farther west. The variety of programming combined with the comfort and safety of the venue will allow those who don't normally go to the arts on the East Side to feel at home, thereby driving the neighborhood's growing economy.
• Visibility. Currently, the theater spaces on the East Side are hard to find. This space has great street visibility on a main city artery, Manor Road.
• Parking. Salvage Vanguard Theater has ample, well-lit on-site parking right next to the building, ensuring safety and ease of access for every audience member.